This week we're going to look at the music of Lou Harrison.

Harrison was a student of the music of the world. He studied a great deal of musical traditions across space and time, particularly Asian and Indonesian music. He was equally versed in what we would call 'classical music,' from Gregorian Chant up to approaches in the 20th century. In the early 1970s, he prepared a book, his Music Primer, a mélange of musical knowledge he'd picked up over decades of gathering. He freely combines any and all musical traditions; his music is ever melodious and has a sense of innocence and spirit.

In the realm of percussion, he is generally known for two reasons: One, his association with John Cage and his prolific output of percussion music in the 30s and 40s with/for Cage's ensemble; and two, his own take on gamelan music later in his career, going so far as to build his own gamelan.